Survey: In an Era of Rising Room Rates, Guestroom Photos and Amenity Details Influence Hotel Booking Decisions

i-goods Inc., a Tokyo-based company that plans and manufactures original goods, conducted an online consumer survey of 314 people to examine how travelers choose lodging facilities and what factors improve customer satisfaction amid rising accommodation prices driven by inflation. The survey was conducted online over eight days from March 18 to March 25, 2026. Responses were collected from 314 people, with roughly 20% each from five age groups ranging from people in their 20s to those aged 60 and above. Respondents were 51.0% male and 49.0% female. The survey found that, after location and price, “guestroom photos on official websites and booking sites” ranked third as a decisive factor in reservations. A total of 67.8% of guests said they use such photos to make their final decision. For higher-priced accommodations costing 20,000 yen or more per night, photos of amenities and room fixtures, not just the room itself, were also found to influence booking decisions. The top three factors that lower customer satisfaction when expectations are not met were “low quality of customer service” at 30.4%, “areas that were not properly cleaned” at 24.7%, and “low quality of food” at 21.6%. Guests view service, cleanliness, and food as basic values that should be fulfilled as a matter of course. Reasons guests feel motivated to write positive reviews included staff service, food, and cleanliness. At the same time, respondents also noticed details that conveyed a property’s care and distinctiveness, including the texture of linens such as towels and pajamas at 34.8%, well-prepared beverage sets such as coffee and tea ware at 30.0%, and fixtures that incorporate local crafts at 29.1%. In addition to the three core factors of service, cleanliness, and food, guests also value the amenities and fixtures they actually touch and use. As final deciding factors in selecting accommodation, “location and access” ranked high at 70.9%, followed by “low or reasonable accommodation cost” at 69.2%. Meanwhile, 67.8% of guests said they make their final judgment based on guestroom photos on official or booking websites. The share of respondents who place strong or moderate importance on photos of amenities and fixtures remained in the 40% range among those staying at properties under 20,000 yen per night. However, it jumped to 63.2% among those staying at properties priced from 20,000 yen to under 30,000 yen, and stayed above 60% overall in higher price brackets. This suggests that the more guests pay, the more critically they evaluate details such as what amenities are provided, and those details can determine whether a booking is made. Free-text responses also revealed specific factors that can give guests the final push to confirm a reservation, such as sincere replies to reviews and plans tailored to particular life stages, including maternity plans. Thoughtful accommodation of individual needs was found to support booking decisions. For high-priced lodging, the main sources of disappointment were low quality of customer service at 30.4%, insufficient cleaning at 24.7%, and low food quality at 21.6%. Guests are highly attentive to hospitality fundamentals: quality service, clean spaces, and food. If these foundations are lacking, even excellent spatial design and added value may fail to have an effect. The top three reasons guests want to write positive reviews after a stay were staff service exceeding expectations, chosen as the top reason by 26.0%; food being extremely delicious, chosen as the top reason by 18.5%; and outstanding guestroom design and cleanliness, chosen as the top reason by 16.7%. In addition, the room features that made guests feel a property’s care and lifted their mood included the texture of linens at 34.8%, well-prepared beverage sets at 30.0%, and fixtures incorporating local crafts at 29.1%. The factor most likely to make guests want to revisit was “carefully designed spaces that create an extraordinary experience, including a well-developed concept,” selected by 65.7% of guests. The scene guests most wanted to share was “the view and interior at the moment they entered the room,” selected by 46.7%. The report suggests that lodging operators should prepare spaces that guests want to photograph within the first 15 seconds after opening the guestroom door, especially by paying attention to amenities, beverage sets, and fixtures that guests directly touch. The survey concludes that lodging facilities that want to be chosen need both “defensive efficiency” and “proactive hospitality.” Deficiencies in cleaning and a lack of staff capacity directly reduce customer satisfaction and therefore require defensive measures. On the other hand, premium amenities that resonate with target guests, unexpected gifts, and distinctive spatial design can create emotional impact, encourage voluntary reviews, and drive repeat visits. In a market facing chronic labor shortages, striking the right balance between defense and offense is becoming increasingly important. i-goods supports hotels and ryokan through two services. The first is SUSPLUS, an e-commerce site offering eco-friendly amenities and original goods for hotels and ryokan, including bamboo toothbrushes, razors, and other exclusive product lines. Multiple sample sets can be ordered for free through the website. The second is ROBOTI, a brand offering commercial service robots for cleaning, serving, and transport. The company supports robot implementation based on customer needs such as labor shortages and productivity decline, and facilities can also request free trials. Survey overview: the survey was conducted by i-goods Inc.; the method was an online survey; the period was March 18 to 25, 2026; the target was general consumers; the number of responses was 314, including 160 men and 154 women; age groups were distributed roughly evenly from people in their 20s to those aged 60 and above; the topic was consumer awareness regarding hotels and ryokan; and the survey contained eight questions. i-goods Inc. was founded on January 20, 2016, with capital of 30 million yen and headquarters in Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Its core business is the planning and production of fully custom original goods. It manufactures retail goods, novelties, and product materials for industries including department store external sales, apparel, cosmetics, and concerts. In response to growing demand related to the SDGs, the company also promotes sustainable OEM and original goods production, shares SDGs-related information, and operates SUSPRO, a brand that creates eco-friendly original goods and amenities mainly for hotels and ryokan, as well as SUS CYCLE, a service that upcycles corporate waste into valuable goods. It also operates ROBOTI, a service robot brand for cleaning and serving, addressing worsening labor shortages. The company has received recognition in the Financial Times and Statista’s ranking of high-growth companies in the Asia-Pacific region, ranking 39th overall among one million eligible companies and first among Japanese domestic manufacturers in 2022, and appearing in the ranking for four consecutive years by 2024.